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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. rock — a stone
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. rock — music
  11. march — the month
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. chip — for betting
  14. lie — to recline
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. tube — the underground
  17. tube — a container
  18. march — the month
  19. sharp — clever
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. march — music
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. chip — to eat

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com